Synchronous communication via the Internet. Typically, online chat allows a group of users to see the participants contribution as it is typed allowing for dialogue that approximates a face-to-face conversation. Increasingly online chat is being replaced by technologies that allow telephone-like voice conferencing over a network or the Internet.

a virtual meeting point for researchers and users where discussions are held about topics like literature, history, education, philosophy, literary creation, etc

Chat allows the Instructor and Students to participate in real-time, online classroom discussions and presentations. Synchronous communication.

a lot like talking to someone on the phone in real time, only you type out your words on your computer rather than speak out loud